1. Technical Field
Embodiments are generally related to input/output (IO) interfaces and, more particularly, to a width scalable connector for high bandwidth consumer applications.
2. Discussion
Future platforms and “consumption devices” (like flash or Phase Change Memory Stacked/PCMS drives) may demand higher bandwidths than offered by current input/output (IO) interface solutions such as USB (Universal Serial Bus, e.g., USB Specification 3.0 Rev. 1.0, Nov. 12, 2008, USB Implementers Forum), and PCIE (“Peripheral Component Interconnect Express”, e.g., PCI Express x16 Graphics 150W-ATX Specification 1.0, PCI Special interest Group) solutions. This development may require replacing existing connector technologies due to potentially excessive signal degradation at frequencies below 10 GHz. Indeed, a large enabling effort associated with new connector technologies may place a demand for multiple generation (10+ year) scalability on any new connector.
For example, USB devices may be configured to couple to other USB compatible devices using a standardized USB connector. Included in the USB connector can be a power source connection, which transfers power between coupled USB devices. Although USB connections have gone through multiple generations of development, the capabilities of USB connectors may be nearing a limit.